U.S. patent number 4,892,412 [Application Number 07/349,232] was granted by the patent office on 1990-01-09 for heatable mixer apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Adolph Motors COmpany. Invention is credited to Patricia K. Davies, Robert F. Karr, David A. Thomas.
United States Patent |
4,892,412 |
Thomas , et al. |
January 9, 1990 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Heatable mixer apparatus
Abstract
A heatable mixer apparatus comprising an open-top tank having a
liquid therein and a wheel rotatably mounted essentially
perpendicularly above the tank with a portion thereof disposed
within the tank. On the lateral sides of the wheel are a plurality
of retainers which releasably retain closable vessels containing
materials to be mixed. A heater is provided within the tank to heat
the liquid to a desired temperature. In operation, the liquid is
heated, vessels containing materials to be mixed are placed in
respective retainers, and the wheel is rotated to thereby permit
mixing of the materials and simultaneous heating as the vessels
travel through the heated liquid in the tank.
Inventors: |
Thomas; David A. (Golden,
CO), Karr; Robert F. (Wheatridge, CO), Davies; Patricia
K. (Golden, CO) |
Assignee: |
Adolph Motors COmpany (Golden,
CO)
|
Family
ID: |
23371456 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/349,232 |
Filed: |
May 9, 1989 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
366/145; 366/146;
366/214; 422/130 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01F
9/002 (20130101); B01F 15/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01F
15/00 (20060101); B01F 15/06 (20060101); B01F
9/00 (20060101); B01F 015/06 (); B01F 009/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;366/144,145,146,147,148,149,22,23,24,208,213,214,218,220,232,235,200,204
;94/348 ;422/63,64,65,104 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jenkins; Robert W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Klaas & Law
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A heatable mixer apparatus comprising:
(a) an open-top tank wherein a liquid can be housed;
(b) a wheel means for supporting a plurality of retainer means
mounted thereon for releasably holding closed vessels into which
materials to be mixed can be placed, said wheel means rotatably
mounted essentially perpendicularly above the tank with a portion
thereof disposed within the tank;
(c) heater means for heating and regulating the temperature of
liquid within the tank; and
(d) rotation means for rotating the wheel means.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retainer means
comprises a U-shaped bracket having at each end thereof a threaded
opening wherein opposing threaded screws are disposed for
releasably holding a vessel placed therebetween.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the plurality of
retainer means are mounted on at least one exposed lateral side of
the wheel means.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the wheel means
comprises two parallel concentrically disposed disks spaced from
each other.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wheel means
comprises two parallel concentrically disposed disks spaced from
each other.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heater means
comprises an electrically powered heating element disposed within
the tank.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein a thermostat means
is in communication with the electrically powered heating element
for controlling the temperature of said heating element.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotation means
comprises an electrically powered drive motor in communication with
the wheel means.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and wherein a variable speed
gear means for regulating rotation speed of the wheel means is in
communication with the drive motor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mixer apparatus, and in particular to a
rotary mixer apparatus having integral therewith an open top tank
wherein a liquid can be housed and heated and wherein materials
being mixed can be simultaneously heated as they travel through the
heated liquid.
It is many times desirable to simultaneously mix and heat materials
in order to place these materials in condition for further
treatment, testing, or the like. When a flowable material such as a
liquid or a quantity of discrete particles is to be mixed and
heated, one common apparatus employed is a stirring propeller
disposed within a vessel housing the flowable material. This
propeller can be secured at the end of a rotatable shaft which
enters the vessel, or it can be a magnetized propeller or stirring
bar whose rotation can be controlled exteriorly from the vessel.
The vessel itself can be heated by placing it on a hot plate or in
a tank such as a water bath containing heated liquid.
As is evident, however, employing mixing vessels which are
stationary, either on hot plates or within a tank, significantly
reduces the number of vessels which can be heated at one time.
Further, because of the usual size of a stirring bar or propeller,
the size of the vessel must be relatively large in order to
accommodate both the bar or propeller and the amount of material
required to render an adequate volume of medium for effective
stirring. Inherent in the latter requirement is the usual inability
to adequately mix relatively small amounts of material.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to
provide a heatable mixer apparatus where heating and mixing of
relatively small amounts of material can be accomplished without
propellers or stirring bars. Another object of the present
invention is to provide a heatable mixer apparatus whereby a
plurality of mixing vessels can be subjected to mixing and heating
in a relatively small planar space. Yet another object of the
present invention is to provide a heatable mixer apparatus wherein
mixing speed as well as temperature can be selectively controlled,
and wherein heat is provided by a liquid heated within an open top
tank through which materials to be mixed and heated travel. These
and other objects of the invention will become apparent throughout
the description which now follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a heatable mixer apparatus comprising an
open top tank having a liquid therein and a wheel means for
supporting a plurality of retainer means and rotatably mounted
essentially perpendicularly above the tank with a portion of the
wheel means disposed within the tank. The tank has heater means for
selectively heating and regulating the temperature of liquid within
the tank, and the wheel means has rotation means for rotating the
wheel means and regulating the speed of rotation. Mounted on at
least one of the lateral surfaces of the wheel means are the
plurality of retainer means for releasably holding closable vessels
into which materials to be heated and mixed can be placed. A
removable enclosure means for enclosing the portion of the wheel
means not disposed within the tank can be provided. In operation,
water or other suitable liquid is placed in the tank and brought to
the desired temperature, closed vessels containing material to be
mixed and heated are retained by the retainer means on the wheel
means, and wheel means rotation is then effectuated. In this
manner, a relatively large number of relatively small quantities of
specimens can be heated and mixed simultaneously in a relatively
small planar space without any requirement for special stirring
devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention
is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view, partially broken away, of a
mixer apparatus;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view of a U-shaped bracket
from FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the bracket of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the mixer apparatus of FIG. 1;
and
FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective partial view of one end of the
mixer apparatus of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is a heatable, rotary mixer apparatus having
heater means for selectively heating and regulating mixing
temperature, and speed control means for maintaining and regulating
the mixing speed of materials to be mixed. Referring to FIGS. 1, 4
and 5, the mixer apparatus 10 comprises an open top tank 12 and a
wheel means 14 rotatably mounted perpendicularly above the tank 12
with a portion thereof disposed within the tank 12. The wheel means
14 is provided with an axial shaft 16 in a pillow block bearing 17,
and has a lateral sprocket member 18 which engages a roller chain
20 engaged with a like sprocket member 22 integral with a
conventional electric drive motor 24 having a conventional power
switch 48 in power cord 31 communication with the motor 24. A
conventional variable-speed gear box 25 in communication with the
drive motor 24 permits selection and regulation of revolution speed
of the wheel means 14. In the embodiment here shown, the wheel
means 14 comprises two rimmed, parallel, perforated disks 26, 28
spaced from each other and joined to each other by a plurality of
cross spacers 30 extending between the respective peripheries of
the disks 26, 28. The disks 26, 28 preferably are perforated in
order to reduce their weight. Optionally, a cover 29, here
constructed of a clear polycarbonate material, can enclose the
exposed portion of the wheel means 14 as shown in FIG. 4.
On the outer lateral side of each disk 26, 28 are mounted a
plurality of U-shaped brackets 32 as shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and
3. Each end 34, 36 of each bracket 32 is provided with a threaded
opening in which opposing threaded screws 38 reside. A closed
vessel (not shown) containing material to be mixed is placed
between the ends 34, 36 of the bracket 32, and the screws 3S then
are tightened against the vessel to accomplish a friction-fit
retention thereof. As is apparent, a plurality of vessels can be so
retained simultaneously.
Situated on the floor of the tank 12 is a 1500-watt primary
electric heating element 40 in conventional communication with a
power switch 27. Conventionally integral within the circuitry
between the heating element 40 and the power switch 27 is a
conventional surface-mount thermostat 56 for maintenance of
temperature of liquid within the tank 1. A 1000-watt combination
heater/circulating pump 52 extends into the tank 12, and is in
conventional power cord 51 communication with a power switch 53. In
the embodiment here shown, the pump 52 is manufactured by Haake
Company, Berlin, West Germany, type no. 000-5728. A standard stem
thermometer 54 extends into the tank to permit temperature
monitoring. A drain line 58 with a ball valve 60 permits liquid
removal from the tank 12.
In operation, a liquid such as water is placed in the tank 12 and
power to the heating element 40 and pump 52 is provided. When the
desired liquid temperature is reached, closed vessels containing
materials to be heated and mixed are secured to respective brackets
32, and the motor 24 is activated to rotate the wheel means 14 at a
rotation speed as selected through the gear box 25. The vessels
containing the materials to be heated and mixed move through the
heated liquid in the tank 12 for such heating. Simultaneously, the
materials within the vessels are mixed as a result of the
continuous upside-down and rightside-up movement of these vessels.
Because a relatively large number of mixing vessels can be employed
simultaneously, and because the vessels themselves or their content
amount can be relatively small, the present mixer apparatus permits
great versatility and concurrent heating and mixing treatment.
EXAMPLE
A large number of barley varieties for use in the commercial
preparation of beer must be collected each year and subsequently
micro-malted and tested to analyze for important melting
characteristics. These procedures require the mixing and heating of
a plurality of small amounts of materials, and this requirement can
be readily accomplished employing the mixer apparatus herein
described.
To exemplify the utility of the mixer apparatus in malt
preparation, the tank 12 was filled with water and the heating
element 40 and heater/circulating pump 52 were powered to raise the
temperature of the water in the tank 12 to 46.degree. C.
Simultaneously, a plurality of 50 ml-size polycarbonate tubes had
introduced therein 8.0 grams of finely-ground malt and 48 ml of
water which had been pre-heated to 46.degree. C. The tubes were
plugged and secured to respective brackets 32 as described above,
and wheel rotation at about 15 rpm was initiated. The temperature
of the water in the tank 12 was maintained at 46.degree. C. for 30
minutes, then raised at 1.degree. C. per minute for 25 minutes to a
temperature of 71.degree. C. This temperature was maintained for
one hour while wheel rotation continued to thereby uniformly mix
and heat the contents of the tubes. Thereafter, heating of the
water in the tank 12 was stopped and cold water was introduced into
the tank 12 while hot water therein was simultaneously drained to
thereby reduce water temperature to 20.degree.-25.degree. C. to
cool the rotating samples. After cooling, rotation was stopped and
the tubes were removed from the respective brackets. The tubes were
dried to remove any excess water, and their contents were brought
to a weight of 36 grams by the addition of water with a pipette.
Each sample was well shaken by hand and poured into a funnel fitted
with filter paper. After the first 5 ml of filtrate was collected,
it was returned to the funnel and filtration continued for one
hour. Thereafter, each sample was collected and injected into a
densitometer for determination of specific gravity. The values
obtained were compared to those gathered on identical 50-gram
sample portions treated according to the standard American Society
of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) analysis method which employs large
vessels having propeller stirring blades within. It was found that
the standard deviation employing the mixer apparatus herein
described was 0.4, while the standard deviations found employing
the standard ASBC method were, on two separate occasions, 0.3 and
0.5. It is therefore apparent that the present mixer apparatus,
which requires as little as 8 grams of sample material, compares
most favorably to the standard ASBC method which requires 50 grams
of sample material and, of course, a correspondingly greater
equipment size.
While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the
invention has been described in detail herein, it is understood
that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and
employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed
to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior
art.
* * * * *